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Smilodon
"Smilodon, the fable Saber Tooth Cat. The most powerful big cat of all time and the most famous prehistoric and extinct cat!" Smilodon ("Knife Tooth"), also famously called "The Sabre-Tooth Cat", as well as once previously and mistakenly called "The Sabre-Tooth Tiger" for a long time, was the biggest and most powerful sabre-toothed cat of all time, and defiantly the most famous prehistoric cat recognized for their large sabre teeth. It lived in South America during the Pleistocene at 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. Originally from North America, Smilodon came to South America 2 MYA and replaced the native hunters, Phorusrhacos, as top predators. Smilodon was between 100 to 500 kg depending on the species. It hunted Bison, Horses, Camel, Alicorns, Giant Sloth and even the might Woolly Mammoth. Facts Time/Era/Period Smilodon lived during the Pleistocene over 2 million years ago. A million years ago, Sabre–Tooth Cats were once the top predators in North America. Originally from North America, they came to South American two million years ago and the balance of life in South America changed as they became and took over the role as the top predators. As they spread down to South American, they were fast taking over from one of the strangest predators the world has ever known, a ten–foot–tall killer bird. These cats are fierce enough to terrorize the Terror Birds. Smilodon were very successful predators, and survived up until as recently as 10,000 years ago, but eventually, the world around them changed to much. The climate became cooler and drier. The larger prey the specialized in killing disappeared. The sabre tooth world came to an end. Size/Description There is no such thing as a Saber Tooth Tiger. The correct name for these beasts is Sabre Tooth Cat and there have been many different species. The largest, at 300 kilograms is Smilodon, which means "Knife Tooth". Their sabre teeth are awe–inspiring. And paleontologists are pretty certain about how Saber–Tooth's used them. They got onto their prey’s throat and sliced through all the major blood vessels and crush the windpipe in one devastating bite. That meant the prey couldn't attack back, couldn't kick them with hooves, couldn't injure them at all. Those Sabre–Teeth were a really ingenious killing technique, but only when the prey was totally subdued are the famous sabres drawn. They were extraordinary precise and accurate tools for killing. One bite to the throat of their prey and their teeth simultaneously severed the blood supply and the jugular and crushed and strangled the windpipe. One bite, and the prey was dead. But these were the original double–edged swords. The lethal 20 centimeter sabres were actually quite fragile. They cannot bite into bone and so Smilodon could only eat the fleshier parts of a carcass. It's those huge incisor teeth which makes the Sabre Tooth Cat such a successful, specialized killer. Behavior Smilodon lived in tightly–knit clans. Male Sabre Tooth’s could take over clans at the age of four years. Some scientists think that Sabre–Tooth Cats behaved so much like modern lions, with the Females do 90% of the hunting and mailes doing most of the inner-breed fighting. Smilodon also used similar techniques as lions to hunt prey. Females had really stocky front legs and that's because of big animals like Toxodon that they have to bring down. Smilodon had those big front legs and those massive teeth. When hunting, the Females hunted together as a pack, inching forward to set the trap. They could stalk herds of animals for up to two hours. Gradually, they fanned out with the lead female moving wide – trying to encircle their prey. Smilodon were powerful killers and these cats were able to accelerate explosively at amazing bursts of speed, but only over a short distance as they were not built for long chases, like all cats. Unless they got close, they don't stand a chance. One false move and they would have to start all over again. Once they charged at their prey, they erupted out of the grass. The lead female drove the prey towards the other females. Surprisingly, as the cats fight to restrain their prey, they do not use their infamous teeth, in case they break them. First they work together to pin down the struggling animal under the weight of their bodies. Only when the prey is totally subdued are the famous sabres drawn. But these were the original double–edged swords. The lethal 20 centimeter sabres were actually quite fragile. They cannot bite into bone and so Smilodon could only eat the fleshier parts of a carcass. It's those huge incisor teeth which makes the Sabre Tooth such a successful, specialized killer. Gallery Kkkkk.jpg Smilodon_f.jpg Smilodon-1.png 608963-walking-with-beasts-operation-salvage-windows-screenshot-the.png Brother_Rivals.png hqdefault5.jpg p00bk2r6.jpg smilodon.jpg walking_1__1648340a.jpg Category:Prehistoric Animals Category:Mammals Category:Cats Category:Pleistocene Animals Category:Pleistocene Mammals Category:Beasts (Life After Dinosaurs) Category:Predators